Polymers for biodegradable medical devices. X. Microencapsulation studies: control of...

Reservoir-type microcapsules were prepared using a double emulsion solvent evaporation process from a range of different poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate homopolymers and copolymers thereof with 3-hydroxyvalerate (P(HB-HV) polymers) blended with 20 per cent by weight of poly-epsilon-caprolactone (PCL). Microcapsules prepared from these P(HB-HV)/20 per cent PCL blends had very different typical surface morphologies from those prepared from the corresponding unblended P(HB-HV) polymers. At this blend ratio the effects of polymer blending on particle morphology were clearly dependent on the molecular weight of P(HB-HV) polymer and, to a reduced extent, the 3-hydroxyvalerate content. Microcapsules were also prepared from blends of a high molecular weight P(HB-HV) polymer with PCL in which the proportion of the latter was varied from 0 to 100 per cent at 10 per cent intervals. Increasing the proportion of PCL from 0 to 50 per cent produced a systematic and dramatic increase in microcapsule porosity; with only skeletal particles being generated from the even 50-50 blend. When the proportion of PCL in the blends was increased from 50 to 70 per cent the level of particle porosity diminished, and at 80 per cent or above the microcapsules were essentially smooth and non-porous.